The
Silk Road is a great East to West trade route and vehicle for cross-culture
exchange started in the second century BC. It was first traveled by the
adventure of Zhang Qian started the journey to the far West for the political
contact with Yuezhi, a nomadic tribe, in 138 BC. But, it was only in 1870s
that the geographer, Ferdinand von Richthofen gave the name by which we
now know as the Silk Road.

The general
Zhang Qian was sent by Emperor Wudi of the Han Dynasty (206 BC- AD 220)
to recruit the Yuezhi, who were the enemies of the Xiongnu in the second
century BC. As Yuezhi tribe, Xiongnu was also a nomadic group who attempted
to invade the Kansu province of Han Dynasty. Because the Xiongnu could
not be restrained with any lasting effects, Emperor Wu decided to look
for an alliance with Yuezhi who had been defeated by their enemies Xiongnu
and driven to the Ili valley, the western fringes of the Taklamakan Desert.
As a result, general Zhang Qian with a caravan of 100 men set out the
first travel from Chang'an, the capital of Han Dynasty, to the far West
of the area beyond the Great Wall.

However,
in order to reach Yuezhi, Zhang Qian with his caravan had to went cross
the territory of Xiongnu. Unfortunately, soon after he left China, Xiongnu
captured his group. Zhang Qian and the rest of reminders were in prison
for ten years, during which time he married a nomad wife who had a son
with him. Due to the will of complete his original mission, Zhang Qian
one day seized the chance and escaped with other reminders. He continued
the journey west toward the northern Silk Road to Kashgar and Ferghana.
Finally in 128 BC, Zhang Qian had reached the destination, Yuezhi. However,
he was surprised by Yuezhi people. Yuezhi was living in peace and well
settled in the various oases of Central Asia and no longer interested
in taking their revenge on the Xiongnu.

Without
the succeeding in interesting the Yuezhi in fighting the Xiongnu, Zhang
Qian set off on the return journey via southern Silk Road. He was once
captured by Tibetan tribes allied with Xiongnu for a year and escaped
in 125 BC in returning his way back to China. Of the original party only
he and another company completed the 13 years journey - the first land
route between East and West that would eventually link Imperial China
with Imperial Rome.

The diplomatic
stalemate resulting from Zhang Qian's mission had some important consequences,
as much political and military as commercial. Zhang Qian reported on some
kingdoms in the West Regions, delighting Emperor Han Wudi with detailed
accounts of the previously unknown kingdoms of Ferghana, Smarkand, Bokhara
and others in what are now the former Soviet Union, Pakistan and Persia
as well as the city of Li Kun, Rome, with their special products. These
fascinating prices form the many Kingdoms of West tempted Emperor Wudi
to dispatch successive missions to develop a further more political contact
led by Zhang Qian in 119 BC. The mission group from China later returned
with foreign products, for instances, Ferghana horses, furs and so on.
At the same time, the kingdoms in Central Asia sent their own emissaries
to Chang'an China. On the other hand, Alexander the Great expansion into
Central Asia stopped far short of Xiongnu region resulted in Romans appear
to have gained little knowledge of the Seres, Chinese. Little by little,
the demands of eastern precious goods from the West were grown rapidly.
The ideas of Han Wudi making peace with the West countries had established
not only the diplomatic contacts and economic relations but also the exchanges
of the various culture and religion between East and West.

The network
of the Silk Road was soon flourished during the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907).
However, later in 12th century, the entire communities and active oasis
towns along the Silk Road were disappearing in the space, as the glacier-fed
streams ran try. As well, of course, the downfall of Tang Dynasty led
to political chaos and an unstable economy less able to support foreign
imports. Moreover, the Ming Dynasty (AD 1368-1644) shut China off from
the outside world, ending the centuries-old exchange of culture and religion
in East and West.